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BMW 3 Series OBD port location

Four generations, 1998–2022. Pick yours.

2018–2022

G20

Illustration — use it to know where to look.

Location

Right-hand-drive UK cars: driver's footwell, to the right of the steering column and above the pedals, just inboard of the bonnet-release lever. Left-hand-drive cars: the mirror position, left of the column above the clutch area. Same position across the G20 saloon and G21 Touring, all trims.

Also on this 3 Series

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  • Tools confirmed9
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Open the full 3 Series G20 record

2012–2019

F30

Illustration — use it to know where to look.

Location

Driver's footwell, under the lower dash. On the left kick panel above the footrest. The 16-pin socket sits under the lower dash trim on both; same position across all F30/F31/F34 trims.

Also on this 3 Series

  • KeysSmart key
  • Tools confirmed11
  • Transponder chipSubscribers
  • Programming procedureSubscribers
Open the full 3 Series F30 record
OBD port location in a BMW 3 Series E90/E91/E92/E93

E90/E91/E92/E93 2005–2012

LHD: lower left of the driver's footwell at the base of the left A-pillar, just above the bonnet-release handle and above pedal height, behind a small grey/black flap marked 'OBD'. RHD (UK): same arrangement mirrored to the driver's side - at the base of the right-hand A-pillar beside the bonnet-release handle, in the trim panel next to the kick panel under the steering column. Same position on saloon (E90), Touring (E91), Coupe (E92) and Convertible (E93), pre- and post-LCI, all engines. Many UK cars have had the socket unplugged and tucked up behind the dash (or moved to the glovebox or armrest) as an anti-theft measure - if the flap is empty, feel up behind the trim above the pedals before pulling panels.

OBD port location in a BMW 3 Series E46

E46 1998–2006

Right-hand-drive UK cars: driver's side (right) lower dash by the bonnet-release lever, behind a fold-down diagnostic flap. LHD: under the driver's dash near the left A-pillar / kick panel behind a snap-off flap. IMPORTANT on early cars (1998–mid-2000): engine/immobiliser diagnostics live on a round 20-pin connector in the engine bay (near the suspension turret) — the interior 16-pin socket is only basic/capped on those cars; mid-2000-onward consolidated everything to the interior 16-pin port. Note that E46 key work is done on the bench at the EWS module regardless, so the diagnostic port matters mainly for reading fault codes, not for key programming.

Questions

BMW 3 Series OBD questions

G20 (2018–2022): Right-hand-drive UK cars: driver's footwell, to the right of the steering column and above the pedals, just inboard of the bonnet-release lever. F30 (2012–2019): Driver's footwell, under the lower dash. On a right-hand-drive F30: Driver's footwell, under the lower dash. E90/E91/E92/E93 (2005–2012): LHD: lower left of the driver's footwell at the base of the left A-pillar, just above the bonnet-release handle and above pedal height, behind a small grey/black flap marked 'OBD'. E46 (1998–2006): Right-hand-drive UK cars: driver's side (right) lower dash by the bonnet-release lever, behind a fold-down diagnostic flap.

Other BMWs

Found the port. Now program the key.

Step-by-step add-key and all-keys-lost procedures for every 3 Series, which of your tools will do it, and what catches people out.

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